Study Reveals The Biggest Risk Factors For Getting Early Dementia

Genetics is only one piece of the puzzle.

A recent study by the University of Exeter and Maastricht University published in JAMA Neurology has identified some of the factors that can lead to early cases of dementia ― some of which may surprise you.

The data analyzed the behaviors of over 350,000 participants younger than 65 across the United Kingdom to evaluate young-onset dementia, which occurs before age 65. The researchers found there are 15 common issues that can contribute to the early development of the condition. A few have to do with genetics and other elements outside our control, but many others are modifiable.

The study is meaningful to experts because it “looks at young-onset dementia risk factors in a way that has only been done in late-onset dementias previously,” according to Dr. Kevin Bickart, an assistant professor in neurology at the University of California Los Angeles Health’s David Geffen School of Medicine. The study features “a very large sample that was prospectively followed from healthy baseline to a dementia diagnosis with lots of data collection.”

Here’s what to know:

The biggest risk factors for young-onset dementia: